A Little Bird Told Me (standard:humor, 465 words)
Author: Pamela Jenkins	Added: Feb 22 2001	Views/Reads: 3803/3	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
There's nothing like a little honesty between friends.

As I sat enjoying a cup of tea one morning before work, my children
brought a catalogue to show me what they had found.  They pointed to a 
picture of a tee shirt.  They said it reminded them of me. 

Flattered that they were thinking of me, I looked at the picture.  Then
I frowned.  On the front of the shirt, in large bold print, were the 
words I Yell Because I Care. 

"But I don't yell at you," I said softly.  This brought laughter and
rolling eyes from my precious offspring. 

"Oh yeah, Mom, you sure do!" said my oldest teenager.  Number Two chimed
in with, "All the time!"  The youngest put his hands over his ears in 
mock fright and spun around in a circle until he collapsed on the 
floor, giggling and dizzy. 

"No, no," I protested quietly.  How could they possibly think I yelled
at them?  I was a good mother.  I listened and helped when I could.  I 
was always there for them, lending support and love.  But a mom that 
yelled? 

"We can prove it," said the oldest.  "Every time you raise your voice,
Bo Peep goes nuts." 

I eyed my little blue and white parakeet with suspicion.  She sat calmly
on her perch, watching us.  She was waiting for someone to notice her, 
and perhaps come over for a talk and a little playtime.  She thrived on 
the attention that four children could give. 

"Okay, I'll prove it," I challenged them.  "Let me think of something to
say loudly, and then we'll see." 

I'd like to say that it took me some time to come up with an appropriate
phrase to "yell", but in all honesty, it just popped into my mind.  I 
cleared my throat daintily, then sang out, "YOU KIDS HURRY UP OR YOU'LL 
BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!" 

Before I finished speaking, Bo Peep was flapping around inside her cage,
hopping from perch to perch, screeching, "TSK...TSK...TSK..."  She 
certainly gave us her two cents' worth.  We all received a thorough 
bawling out from the most minute member of our household. 

It was a very humble mother who apologized then.  The kids were right, I
was wrong.  I now realized the truth.  I was a mom who yelled, after 
all. 

A few minutes later, the children were still laughing as they made their
way out the door and on to school.  I took another sip of hot tea, then 
turned and shook a finger at my feathered friend. 

"Miss Peep...," I began, only to be interrupted.  Bo Peep puffed out her
cheek feathers and said earnestly, "You are sooooo pretty, pretty, 
pretty!" 

Well, I could hardly argue with such an honest friend, could I?  It had
to be true. 

After all, a little bird told me so. 


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